Pattern Name: Triple Irish Chain
Age: 1880s-1900
Quilting: utility stitching in the Baptist fan style - hand pieced and hand-quilted
Material: BEAUTIFUL cheddar (also known as chrome orange) dyed cotton with light beige calico blocks; homespun natural cotton ticking backing 
Measurements: 72x84
 
Heritage: This quilt was found in Ohio and is one of my favorite quilts of all time.  There are two in this collection (the other is the Drunkard's path).  This remarkable quilt is unique for so many reasons.  First, the corners are rounded as opposed to the typical square corners you see.  Secondly, the sheer quantity of cheddar makes this quilt supremely valuable.  You simply do not find this much ORANGE.  I highly recommend this blog post for more information about cheddar and its use (especially in the South).  
 
Condition: Overall the piece is in great condition for its age.  The top shows a few small stains and one tiny area where the orange has faded to yellow (such a cool dye history bit!). There is some fade to the beige calico, but this was more likely due to the unstable dye originally than anything else.  The back shows the most staining, but it has not moved through to the front of the quilt.  There is a small hole in the back that has also not gone to the front.  Overall, the quilt is strong, sturdy and really a stunner of a piece.  This would not be a quilt to wash, but to leave outside in the sun (under a clean white sheet) for a few warm, sunny days.  This is the traditional cleaning method for these types of quilts and would be appropriate here.